{mini} Leap List

Thanks to Honda's latest ad campaign, people are buzzing about Leap Lists - lists of things people want to accomplish before the next major milestone in their lives, i.e. getting married, having kids, turning 40, etc. {Note: I'd like to think that Theresa and I are ahead of the game with our Year 32 lists.}

The list that's on my mind right now, however, is less grand in comparison. Below is a list of small-ish {Pinterest-inspired} DIY projects that I'd like to accomplish before Leap Day 2012, two weeks from today.

my {mini} Leap List

Put together a DIY Lego table for Dylan

Prime, paint, and hang frames for Ella's wall collage

Choose printables + easy DIY projects for Mady's wall collage

Attempt a fabric wrapped letter

Prime, paint, and hang Ikea spice rack bookshelves

Create {more} fabric-wrapped balls for Ella's room

Make Save | Spend | Give money jars for D & E

Put together prayer pails with the kids

Write pantry staple names on my homemade chalkboard labels

Phew. That's a big list, but luckily I choose my projects primarily on the easy-peasy factor, and I already have most of my materials gathered. Also, I might save a project or two for our March craft night.

In addition, next week marks the start of Lent so I'll be busy purging 40 bags in 40 days {link up your list here!}

Want to place bets on whether or not I'll get it all done? What are your short-term, {mini} Leap List goals?

{Photo Credits}

1. Lego Table @ Creative Thoughts from an Ordinary Mom  2. Sunshine & Love Printables @ J & A and Company  

3. Owl Printable @ Mine for the Making  4. Fabric Letter @ Little Things Bring Smiles  

5. Spice Rack Bookshelves @ IKEA Hackers  6. Fabric Balls @ Landee See, Landee Do  

7. Money Jars @ A Thoughtful Place  8. Prayer Pail @ Lu Bird Baby  9. DIY Chalkboard Labels @ A Thoughtful Place.

Liebster Love!

I've been blogging since Ella was a baby but I haven't ventured much outside of family-related posts. I've written a few organization, crafting, and DIY posts in the past year or so along with some posts on some personal projects I've been working on (exercise, cleaning, resolutions, Year 32, etc.)

I'm starting to realize there is a whole, new blogging world out there including linky parties, features, and new {bloggy} friends. While I have no intention of trying to make money off of this blog, and [warning!] I will continue to blog about the things that interest me, not about what I think this new audience wants to hear, I have to say this is all a little bit fun.

I received an email this morning from Kate @ craft whatever telling me about something called the Liebster Blog award. It sounds very exciting (and it is for a  recreational blogger like me), but it's basically just a way of sharing the blog love for smaller, just-getting-started blogs.

Here are the Liebster Rules: 

The award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, to promote and encourage new friendships among the blog community.

1. Post the award on your blog.  
2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them. 
3. Reveal your 5 picks for the award and let them know. 
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogsphere... other bloggers. 
5. Finally, the best rule of all, have fun and spread the love!

I will start by saying thank you to Kate! She runs a super cute blog over at craft whatever including loads of tutorials, printables, and recipes (I recently made her Pumpkin Whatever Cookies and they were a big hit!) I also love the idea of her Crafting Bucket List - thanks to Pinterest, I think we all have one these days!

It seems very appropriate to spread some blog love today on Valentine's Day. {My Liebster shout-outs are below.} To my fellow bloggers, enjoy your moment in the spotlight, and I hope you will pass the love on to some other blogs too!

• Theresa @ party of four: T is one of my dear friends and one of the people who motivates me to keep blogging (she also inspired me to start a 365 project a year and a half ago). Her party of four is soon to be a party of five upon the arrival of their sweet new daughter, Finley Grace. T writes with honesty, and she is one of the best mamas you will ever meet. She has also been working on another sort of labor of love, and I hope you will keep an eye on her blog for the announcement (coming soon)!
• Kara @ Hobbies of a Homemaker: Kara is my very talented, super creative sister-in-law. She is able to take things that a lot of people might call junk and turn them into amazing creations. She sees the potential in everything and her blog has been booming since she started about a year go (I had to pass this award on to her ASAP because she is currently at 195 followers). She and her husband are committed to real, organic food and a desire to get back to the basics and live as simply as possible.
• Kelley @ The Grant Life: I recently discovered Kelley's blog and I was super excited when she featured one of my projects last week. Along with her weekly link party, Kelley runs a cool series called Labor of Love featuring other moms' labor and delivery stories.
• Michelle @ Michelle Lea Design: I found Michelle's blog through the wonders of Pinterest, specifically these cool {free!} printable mini-journals. Michelle is a photographer, graphic designer, and event planner so everything on her blog looks pretty and clean (which I love). She has a 365 project going on too!
• Christy @ The Changing Room: Christy is a talented local designer and up-cycler. I love her recent client lower level feature, especially as we are getting ready to turn our own basement space into something functional and beautiful. She does a fun event each holiday season where she stuffs her home full of her cool creations and opens it up to the public for a big tag sale.

There you have it. I hope the ladies above felt some blog love and I hope the rest of you discovered a new blog or two to follow!

insta.life {life is lovely}

One of my favorite Saturday morning activities: 

sorting through pictures from the past week in my PJ's, 

cup of coffee in my hand. 

I love the theme of this Instagram link-up: Finding the Lovely. 

Our life is lovely, indeed. 

Blessed.

1. T-14 weeks until race day. Time to get serious.

2. The Bible in 90, I mean 174 + counting, days (but who's keeping track?). 

I finally made it to the New Testament!

3. Another maniac Monday (Daddy's day to work late).

4. "You are lucky, you have the best boy ever, Dad." From Dylan.

5. The nap conundrum continues. She really needed one today.

6. Thanks to Pick Your Plum and my trusty hot glue gun, 

I have five new pairs of earrings!

7. Unnaturally happy about this.

8. Breakfast of champions. Play date snackage for the mamas.

9. In progress: DIY chalkboard labels.

10. Back from the flower shop with Daddy.

11. Mommy got flowers too!

12. First elementary school skating party.

She must have fallen every two feet but she refused to give up. 

Love her.

{Linking up to}

InstaFriday @ Life Rearranged

Finding the Lovely @ Jeanne Oliver

Monday Link Up @ a {little} dash of ash

My Insta.Week @ let birds fly

40 bags in 40 days

When I first got hooked on Pinterest (28-some weeks ago...time flies when you're having fun), this '40 bags in 40 days' pin was one of my very first pins. It quickly went on my To Do pinboard along with my Year 32 list.

The idea is simple: make a list of 40 areas in your home and in 40 days, get rid of 40 bags of "stuff" from these spots. {Stuff = clutter, junk, excess, and anything else that is no longer used or needed.}

January brought with it a new year, and I thought it might be a good time to revisit this 40 bags idea. I did a little more reading on-line and found that this concept is often tied in with the Lenten calendar.

Spiritual clutter control? I'm so in.

I sent a Facebook message out to some good friends and kindred cleaning spirits and got an overwhelming, yes! let's do it! response. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love my friends??)

We started a private FB group and created and then shared our lists on-line. Some of the girls already have a great start and the rest of us are joining in on February 22, when Lent begins.

free printable by Sugar Tot Designs here

Clearing out the clutter. Finding freedom in less. Intentional living during the Lenten season. Sharing the ride through accountability and community.

40 bags in 40 days. T minus 14 days. Are you in?

featured!

Oh boy, what a week!
Here are some blogs where I was featured recently:

I discovered 52 Mantels through Pinterest a couple of months ago, and it's quickly become one of my favorite new reads. I love the look and feel of Emily's blog and her ideas are fresh and super cool.
{She specializes in mantle-spiration + a whole lot of other projects}


I am very excited for my owl art to be featured today as part of her Thursday's are YOUR days! party. 
Click on over for some more awesome ideas!
And...another feature this week!I can see how this can become addicting :)
Pop on over to Katie's Nesting Spot,{How can you not like someone named Katie??}and check out her latest edition of A Crafty Soiree!

I was excited to receive an email from Hani @ Craftionary last night
telling me that she would be featuring my owl art as part of her Friday Fun Party!

And here's one more:

Kelley @ The Grant Life is spotlighting my {family} love mail project on Financial Friday.

Thank you, everyone, for all the blog love! You made my week!

featured @ Southern Lovely

My craft night owl art is being featured today 

at Southern Lovely's Show & Share!

Take a peak and check out the other great features while you're there!

insta.life {winter survival}

January was whirlwind!

We packed, vacationed, [insert sickness time-out], recovered, celebrated, ran, {winter}rushed, and prepared for Valentine's Day.

We hit the ground running in February.

Here's what the past week looked like for The Terps:

1. Just like my big brother used to do to me.

2. Spaghetti monster.

3. Movie night = pop-up bowl microwave popcorn. We don't mess around.

4. Girls' night! {Boys are at the auto show}

5. Social networking at its best. I won a copy of Aaron Neiquist's new CD straight from the desk of Lynne Hybels.

6. Ants. Dishwasher. Not cool.

7. McDonald's = Monday night survival.

8. {Family} love mail. Now we're really cooking.

9. Brother/baby sister love. Some strings attached.

10. Craft night snackage.

11. Brain food.

12. Sara's {craft night} leafy take on T's butterfly art.

13. This is what happens when your wife has a Groupon 

and a need to check something off her list.

14. Beautiful beads donated by craft night and MOPS ladies 

for a project supporting women in Guatemala through At Risk No More.

15. Ella's first Valentines, all ready to go.

16. Yaktrax. Praying I never need to actually use them!

Linking up to:
InstaFriday @ Life Rearranged
Finding the Lovely @ Jeanne Oliver
Monday Link Up @ a {little} dash of ash
My Insta.Week @ let birds fly

Craft Night {owl art}

February is off and running which means it's time for another edition of Craft Night. This month's theme was Finish It February.

We pinned and pinned and pinned to our group pin board, and in the end, we settled on a new batch of crafts (and a new batch of treats). At the top of our lists this month were these projects:

memory wreath 
heart blossom art  
magazine letter 'i love you' collage 
moss letter
wedding song lyrics board 
paper punch collage 
Valentine's mail boxes 
uh-oh jar 
& crocheting (this is Kara's actual site: check out her goodies!)

I was inspired by Theresa's butterfly kisses art from our Just Do It January craft night. Mady's room features PBK's Brooke bedding, so I found an owl-y paper punch and got to work, following Theresa's instructions as I went.

This particular punch also embosses as it cuts - it's a cute detail but it was also a little finicky. I'm not sure how much that detail shows in a project like this, and it took me a few tries to find the right weight paper (not too thin, not too thick) and the right pressure when punching (too light and it doesn't punch through the paper, too hard and the paper around the owl's eyes tears). 

To properly lay out your critters (or whatever shape you end up using) you will need a ruler, your thinking cap, and a good eye. That was the most painstaking part of the project, but I love how these little guys look all lined up in neat rows. In order to get the 3-D effect like the folded butterflies, I used foam adhesive squares for extra "height" instead of glue dots to stick my owls on.

This is an old 11x14 frame I dug up from the basement. It previously held Dylan's one month baby picture, so it's at least 7 years old. The mat had started to yellow around the edges, so I sprayed it with two coats of chalkboard paint (I also spray primed it first). I used a chalk marker to add a sweet, finishing touch for my little girl: I love WHOO you are.

Five craft nights are in the books and I've loved every minute - the planning, the community, the creating, the snacking - and I really love coming home and proudly displaying something new, something personal, something made with love.

{Supply Details}

Martha Stewart owl double embossed punch

K & Company color basics radiant mat pad

Linking up to: